Disabled Persons (Telephones)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in how many cases, during each of the three years prior to the passing of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970, the Supplementary Benefits Commission included the cost of telephone rentals in assessing supplementary benefit; and to what extent the use by local authorities of their powers under the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 and the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 has resulted in an increase in the total number of cases in which help with telephone charges is given either by local authorities or the Supplementary Benefits Commission.

I regret that no figures are available earlier than for the 12 months ending August 1970. In that period the commission helped with80W
installation and rental costs in 99 new cases. Between August 1970 and August 1972 the commission gve help in a further 61 cases. Information on the help given by local authorities will be available later this year.